Hill Smith is an up market commercial gallery located on in the middle of Pirie St in the city…read more It is housed within a beautiful red two story building with large windows at the front and a charismatic black umbrella dome covering the entryway. There are exhibitions more or less monthly, as well as a number of works held in their stockroom which can be accessed on request. Hill Smith represents a number of the better known local and interstate artists, including David Bromley, Robert Hannaford and Nick Harding. Presently on show is the work of Stephen Trebilcock (Main gallery), Janine Mackintosh and Peter Syndicas (First Floor Gallery). I really love Janine's work which consist of something representing Mandalas constructed from various found natural and man made objects. Her work with eucalyptus leaves has an especially appealing aesthetic, the leaves being beautifully preserved and meticulously stitched with linen thread to the canvass. The juxtaposition of rusted man made objects with preserved natural elements also gives the work a musical quality. Syndicas work, exhibited also on the First floor, consisting of sticks cast in iron and bronze, also follows this natural aesthetic but is, in my opinion, less appealing and although certainly difficult to accomplish, less creative. Trebilcock's work, presented in the Main Gallery consists of a series of beautifully painted still lives, vibrant in colour and texture. The few exteriors presented in the body of work appear slightly illustrative and artificial due to an oversaturation of colour which is more suited to the still lives. This detracts slightly from the overall effect. Of particular appeal were the two triptychs, "Australian Selection" and "Oranges and Grapes."

A great range of original artworks, prints, glass, sculpture and jewellery. They also do picture…read moreframing!

Art Images Gallery is situated on the lower end of The Parade, close to the city. In addition to…read morefunctioning as a gallery, Art Images also provides framing and hanging services, as well as art rental and consultancy. Currently on show at Art Images Gallery until Christmas is an epic group show of almost 50 artists of varying styles, backgrounds and competencies. A mixture of painting, sculpture and object based work is on show, nothing outstanding though. I did quite like the paper cut work by Linda Marek which although cute, was well executed and interesting. JoJo Spook also had some interesting abstracted figurative sculptural work constructed from a variety of objects, including something which resembled a baking rack and other kitchen utensils. The works had a primitive tribal feel, and were and interesting application of the mundane media used to implement the work. There were several pieces which were at best kitsch and at worst woefull, although I won't name names. However, the variety of work on show makes it well worth checking out.

Tooth & Nail Gallery had their official opening on 9th December 2011 and long may it reign. Set up…read moreby the talented Jake 1 (otherwise known as Jake Holmes) this gallery space houses a collection of graphic artists, designers and painters who have all graduated from art school in the last few years and are looking to develop their work in a gallery setting. The space is an old shed in the city - well 'shed' as in formally a garage, but now it has been made over to house the studio spaces as well as a deceptively large exhibition area. Keep your eyes on this one folks; they may even be getting some performance art productions from well known blogging writer and actor David Jobling. Yes, it's true. I attended the opening night shin dig at Tooth and Nail and I must say it was a most interesting crowd of individuals who have all clearly got a lot going for them besides their youth and good looks. The art work is a lot of fun (I took a lot of photos so check them out) and it challenges as well as amuses, so get along and check out their work. There are also screen printing services and general printing and graphic design services available so if you are looking for that unusual fresh new look for your business, here is certainly one place worth visiting to find out which of these artists will provide you with a custom made look at a decent price for all. The phone number listed here is the number for Jake; so that's who you will call or leave a message with in order to check if the gallery and studio is open.

After opening the other week, Tooth and Nail is still in its utter infancy stage as a gallery. I…read morechecked it out the other day after hearing about the buzz of their opening party, and found it to be a pretty cool place. The art mostly all comes from local artists, and varies from canvas paintings, to screen prints, to wood paints and hand drawn pieces. All of it's on sale and you can grab the price list on the way in if you're inclined to collect. One cool thing about this art gallery (and perhaps a smart move economically speaking) is that the area that isn't used for exhibiting new work is rented out to artists to make more art. When I went in there were a few folks beetling away upstairs on their work, and was a sweet novelty to be checking out great art while more of it's being made just metres away from you. There's no official opening hours for Tooth and Nail but I was told there's normally someone working away somewhere indoors and they keep the place open. My advice would be to head in the late morning or afternoon to catch it open.

What a dangerous shop this is. I was next door drinking gin at the Howling Owl and thought I'd pop…read morein for 5 minutes... you know, just for "a look". Next thing I know, I've bought two fantastic necklaces and I'm having to resist a third. So much for saving money this month! There's so many great things in this store and what impressed me most was that all the designers and artists are from South Australia which is an absolutely terrific way to showcase what this state has to offer. A great place to buy an unusual and charming gift.

Have you been searching for the place to find the "Heaps Good" t-shirts? Search no more, this is…read moreit! An amazing range of really beautiful original artwork is housed here ready for you to buy up big! Gloriously witty, downright sexy and incredibly well done from simple little cards through to rather complicated objects; dinner plates, cups, ear rings, prints, nick knack's... it is all here and the best thing about it all, this is South Australian through and through. It's not that they don't like artworks from any of the other states, it's just that there are some people who want to do the 'buy local' thing when it comes to spending their money, and they want to support local artists, and believe me South Australia has lots of them. There are so many artists creating so much work here that you will find quite a few stores and galleries that only have South Australian work in them; this is certainly one of them. I wouldn't say there was a particular style in this part of the country, but I would say the standard is very high, and the prices are pretty reasonable. It's not so cheap you imagine the artist has no self worth, but nor is it priced out of every-ones range. The women looking after the counter tell me that the hottest seller is the original t-shirt with "Heaps Good" written over a map of South Australia, and it's popular because it reflects the sort of vernacular used here - South Australians don't really speak all that well, but maybe I'll get run out of town if I say that (!) so perhaps I should settle for saying "Heaps Good" is a way we express ourselves with a little touch of wry humour? Urban Cow do have a website and it is worth checking out. I'm informed that you can rest assured the artists do get the best part of what you pay for their work, and no, it's not all prints and paintings; like I said, there are plenty of things including sculptures, textiles, ceramics, glassware and odd, silly things to delight anyone who likes a nice bit of art. They say "Every picture is worth a thousand words," so I went mad taking quite a few pictures, if you check them out you will come up with the thousands of words that my pictures will inspire in you rather than me attempt to describe everything I saw (and loved). The friendly staff will gladly let you browse without charging you an entry fee, even though the shop feels as much like a gallery as it does a unique gift shop. Enjoy browsing and good luck deciding what to buy. From what I hear, the "Heaps Good" t-shirts are the strongest item, but you be the judge.

Amazing aboriginal works - well worth a visit!! Have…read morepurchased many works over the years and have never been disappointed!!

Indigenu is a small art gallery dedicated to promoting Aboriginal art and culture. Originally…read morestarted in Tony Straccia home, his art collection has since got too big and decided it was time to move them to the city, so that they can be viewed and sold. Tony has a passion for Aboriginal art work and has been collecting their works of more than a decade. During these times he had developed strong relationships with artists and is able to purchases their works directly, and arranges it to seen in exhibitions and events. Many of the proceeds from these events are sent back to support the artists and their families. As part of the Yelp's SALA walking tour I came here to have a look at some of the art work. I don't have a passion for any type of art work, to me Aboriginal art work is just of bunch of colourfully dots that has been place to form some kind of weird image, and there is usually some story behind the image. Having said that, there are people have a passion for these fine art works and are willing to spend their disposable income on these printings. If anyone asks me where is a good place to purchase Aboriginal work I would recommend this place. Tony also has a catering service. You should try his chocalate brownies with wattle seed, they are very delicious!

If I was a creative I think this would be my home, studio and general hang out all in one…read more This warehouse/office space is a perfect example of the potential for Adelaide to utilise its empty buildings for multiple purposes that involves the whole community. So far I have visited over 4 of the local businesses and arts studios in here from Naomi Murrell (jeweller) to Fascination Street (production company), The Analouge Room (photo lab) and Life Drawing Classes. The diversity of creativity all the one space must be so inspiring to work with, while you're are also able to call a particular part of the building home with your own "office space." Exhibitions are held here all of the time and normally you can catch more than one on at the same time. The Mill also sometimes hosts joint events with Point A (a freerunning, PT, parkour studio next door) and you can get all street savvy out in their car park with live DJ's demos, walk through of the gallery etc. Each time I have been to something here the crowds have been huge and very eclectic (far too much cooler than I) so it is nice to be exposed to a different community of people. Soon they will also be hosting Mill Markets on Sundays for all local artists to come and sell their wares. If you are ever looking for alternative, and very reasonably priced art classes (from photography through to life drawing and more) in the city, this is the place to visit. Or if you prefer to watch rather than participate, sign up to their mailing list or FB page and keep up to date with their regular events.

The Mill is a non-for-profit arts space, designed to allow local artists from all disciplines to…read moreconnect and collaborate with other artists, industries and audiences. It was co-founder by two friends with the aim of creating a centre hub to keep and nurture local artists within Adelaide. To achieve this by building connections with other arts facilitates and developing the space at the mill. The Mill houses artists of all disciplines including: visual artists, designers, writers, architects, filmmakers, photographers, dancers, theatre-makers and performers. It has many facilitates e.g. artist studios, gallery space, dance/ workshop space and office space. I came here as part of the Yelp's SALA walking tour and The Mill is part of the SALA festival showcase SA living artists. When I first walked in they were having an exhibition of artwork for a group of artists. I didn't understand what the art was about. They showcase a bunch of rocks what was nicely place on a table and was half covered in bright yellow print. Then I saw a few printing where they place strings connected from the print board to the celling and the floor, again didn't understand what that mean. Overall the Mill is a great place for local artists from all disciplines to come together and create something that has no real meaning to me.

As you've walked around the streets of Adelaide in the past year or so, you might have noticed…read morethere are a new rash of murals and paste-ups appearing. While street art has been happening for a while in Adelaide, the city council has now jumped on board - displaying an unusual level of understanding and support. And so they should - street art is one of those rare phenomenons that manages to get people interested in art instead of feeling bored/threatened. Courtesy of Adelaide CIty Council, Topham Mall now has a designated area in which anyone can add to, without asking permission. There is something a little less exciting about legal street art - I love the way the illegal stuff works with the pre-existing built environment and the creativity that comes out of avoiding arrest and but also trying to make attention-grabbing works. Climbing to extremely dangerous heights, wandering around in abandoned buildings etc. But Topham Mall is good - the walls are literally dripping with paint. Although I love to see the work of the local street artists I already know, it is also good to see stuff appearing that has been done by nobody I'm familiar with. Although I appreciate the extremely detailed figurative pieces, I've been following this style for a while, so I feel a little more excited now seeing the typographical-tagging kind of stuff appearing. Watching the layers of paint build and build into strange abstract patterns on the crumbling brick is a nice bit of unintentional magic. The great thing about this kind of work is it is constantly regenerating - there is something new to look at nearly every time you walk past. It's right in a thoroughfare between Currie and Waymouth St too - so all different kinds of people will see it, not just art nerds.

We dropped by Mrs Harris' Shop on a Sunday afternoon. A small shop in the suburbs which was part of…read morethe Tasting Australia. It was an Interesting exhibition, the lovely lady was very friendly and asked me how I found the place and to sign up for emailing listing. There were brilliant paintings of desserts, most the paintings were sold and ranged from $800+ per painting. The paintings looks good enough to eat, all were different designs of desserts, one was sold buy a buyer from Tassy. A definite quick stop to make if you are interested in paintings or making a purchase. Thumbs up!

From the owner: Mrs Harris' Shop is an intimate little gallery in Torrensville, just west of the CBD…read more Generally, exhibitions are held monthly. In its first year of operation, Mrs Harris' Shop featured a range of artists, from those well-established, through to emerging and regional artists. See the website for details on coming exhibitions: www.mrsharrisshop.com.au. Please note: the gallery is open only when an exhibition is on show (check website).

Juxtapose Studios is and Adelaide based art dealers. They use this gallery address for exhibits,…read moreand any member of the agency can book the gallery to display their work. The gallery is open during working hours from Wednesday to Sunday, as well as after hours for specific exhibitions. They organise monthly events and viewings, as well as getting involved with art festivals like SALA. Entry to see the work of local artists is free, so it's a great chance to get up close to original pieces of art, to either just appreciate or also to buy. Their website is comprehensive and the best way to stay informed of what's happening at the gallery. They list dates for the regular art and wine nights, as well as showing all their artists' profiles and work. A great way to finish a dinner out in town is buy a glass of wine then wander through the gallery and see what some of our local artists have been up to.